Syfy Orders Drama ‘Nightflyers’

Eight Maverick Scientists Are the Focus

Syfy has announced a series pickup for “Nightflyers,” based on author George R.R. Martin’s novella and the 1987 film of the same name. From Universal Cable productions (and co-produced by Netflix, who will have first rights to the series outside of the U.S.), “Nightflyers” follows eight maverick scientists and a powerful telepath who embark on an expedition to the edge of our solar system aboard The Nightflyer — a ship with a small tightknit crew and a reclusive captain — in the hope of making contact with alien life. But when terrifying and violent events begin to take place they start to question each other — and surviving the journey proves harder than anyone thought.

Jeff Buhler (“Jacob’s Ladder”) wrote the adaptation for television and will executive produce alongside Daniel Cerone (“The Blacklist”) who will also serve as showrunner. Martin will also executive produce, along with Gene Klein (“Suits”), David Bartis (“Suits”) and Doug Liman (“Live. Die. Repeat”) of Hypnotic; Alison Rosenzweig (“Jacob’s Ladder,” “Windtalkers”) and Michael Gaeta (“Jacob’s Ladder”) of Gaeta Rosenzweig Films; Lloyd Ivan Miller and Alice P. Neuhauser of Lloyd Ivan Miller Productions. Robert Jaffe (“Nightflyers,” – 1987) will produce. Andrew McCarthy (“Orange is the New Black”) will be a producer-director on the project. Mike Cahill (“I Origin”) will direct the pilot.

Marc Berman has been writing professionally since 1999 and is the author of weekly column “Mr. Television” for Campaign US (www.campaignlive.com). Most recently, Berman was the creator and Editor-in-Chief of website and newsletter TV Media Insights for Cross MediaWorks. From 1999-2011, he was the Senior Editor for Mediaweek and has also written for The New York Daily News, Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Emmy Magazine, among others. Berman has also appeared on “Entertainment Tonight,” “Extra,” “Access Hollywood,” “Inside Edition,” “The CBS Evening News,” E!, CNN, CNBC, Fox News and MSNBC.